Easiest way to lose weight…for Free!

Actually, I should have titled this “Lose weight and save money”. This is better than free. Don’t worry, this is not the typical internet fitness gimmick. I promise not to start talking about some magic fat-burning pills that you can try for free. Or that amazing cream you rub on your body to burn fat while you sleep. This is easier. This will actually save you money. It’s healthy. And it works because I’ve done it.

Drink water! That’s it. Whatever your sugary beverage of choice is, swap it out for some good old fashioned H2O. Let me paint a little picture for you that I’m sure many can relate to. I use to be in what I would consider good shape. I ran, lifted weights and did a variety of other activities at least 6 days a week. Yet it amazed me that I was this active and could hold my own in a 10K race, but still couldn’t lose that last bit of fat around my abs. You know the layer I’m talking about. The one that hides all the hard work you put into your abs. You can literally feel the six pack of muscle under there, but you can’t see it because of that pain in the ass force field of fat. I didn’t have time to extend my workouts each day. I wasn’t about to start the self-defeating practice of counting calories and cutting out my favorite foods. There had to be a simple answer I was overlooking. And there was. I always had a glass of soda with dinner.

I was good with breakfast and lunch. Coffee for breakfast and I did drink water with lunch. Dinner was different. We cook healthy and rarely eat fried foods or red meat, so what harm would a little glass of soda do? Here’s what…a 12 oz. glass of soda typically ranges from 125-190 calories on average. I use to buy the 1 liter bottles and I’m sure I drank more than 12 oz., but let’s be ultra conservative for arguments sake and say I drank 12 oz. each day for dinner at the 125 calorie mark. This is 875 calories a week. To put this in perspective, an average person has to walk at a 5 mph pace for 11 minutes to burn 100 calories. This would mean I would have to find time to walk over 90 minutes each week just to burn off the soda calories. That’s 3 days of 30 minute walks to enjoy my glass of sugary goodness. What sounds easier to you – finding 3 days a week to walk for 30 minutes or finding 5 seconds to fill a glass with water?

I’m only talking about calories too. Not all the other shit they put in soda that does damage to cells and weakens your immune system. Water – the best and cheapest way to detoxify your body. Why didn’t I see this earlier? I still love to eat. Work hard and play hard is what I think of when it comes to workouts and meals. I never skip dessert. I’m reasonable, but I won’t miss treating myself for working hard. And now I don’t have to. You don’t either.